Boxing and the Necklace

Occasionally I need to tell a story before I tell the real story. Today is one of those times.

Elaine’s father was a man. I know, you are thinking, of course he’s was a man. That’s the way it works, fathers are men. But Elaine’s dad was ALL man. There was NOTHING feminine about him at all.

Elaine’s father (Dave) spent 30 years in the military. He was a decorated veteran of two wars. He bathed with unscented soap. He drank cocktails without mixers and beer in cans. He read western novels. He used construction language, but not in front of women or kids.

Dave ate meat, some of which he hunted himself. When he determined he no longer wanted to hunt deer and elk, he starting hunting pheasants and geese. When he lost the desire to hunt birds, he just cleaned his guns. Dave was all man.

Dave watched the evening news. He loved politics and hated politicians. He watched football on Sunday and boxing on Friday nights. (I watched a bunch of great fights with Dave.)

Boxing was important to Dave. He loved to teach boxing, as much as he liked to watch boxing.

Dave was blessed (or cursed) with three lovely daughters. Sadly, no sons. I say sadly because Dave had no children of his own to share his great knowledge of boxing. Except Elaine.

Elaine will tell you when she wasn’t reading, knitting or playing Helen Keller (she can tell you that one) she was hitting a speed bag with her dad.

I’m ready to tell my story.

The calendar year 2015 was bittersweet. Our family started the year with a trip (Elaine) to the emergency room. You will recall Elaine fell ice skating and broke 2 bones in her elbow.

Ivy purchased a tabletop punching as a Christmas gift for Boy Twin. The punching bag attaches to a flat surface with a suction cup. Boy Twin attached the punching bag to the kitchen counter.

Of course, when a member of the family walked through the kitchen he/she would take a few swings/punches at the punching bag. Except Elaine.

With three days left in 2015, we, as a family, convinced Elaine she should show us what she learned about boxing from her dad. Elaine was happy to show us.

Elaine quickly had the bag swaying in perfect rhythm. Elaine stopped punching and calming sat down at the dining room table. She was holding her hand. I asked Elaine what had happened.

“I hit the metal bar, I think I broke my hand”. Elaine held up a quickly bruising and swelling hand. I asked if we needed to head for the emergency room.

Elaine chose not to go to the emergency room that night. She was scheduled for her yearly physical the next day anyway.

X-rays were taken at her physical. They were negative. Oh come on, I think even Ol’ Dave is giggling at this one.

OK, now let’s talk Ivy.

Ivy has become very accomplished in the world of yarn. These are not my words (however, I am the typist) but the words of the women and men that ask her to teach them, correct their stuff and encourage them to keep fibering. (Hey, these are my stories and I think fibering is a real word).

Ivy has been designing her own patterns along with everything else. (Which, by the way, includes making biscuits and gravy for me and Girl Twin on Sunday mornings, I say this because it’s Sunday and I’m hungry.)

A couple months back I noticed we were selling necklaces made of circular (two knitting needles with a piece of rope between them) knitting needles and yarn. I might have mentioned (OK, I did!) that I thought the idea of a yarn necklaces was not good. Ivy convinced me the value was in the designing your own necklace. It seems the yarn company supplying the make-your-own necklace had a deal where they would award the ten best necklace designs.

Ivy designed a pretty cool (my words) lace and beaded necklace. She submitted the necklace for judgement to the yarn company.

Ivy is not very good at waiting. The yarn company published that judging would be finished by Christmas 2015. Every hour during the week before Christmas, Ivy checked her email for word from the yarn company. No word came.

Ivy was visibly saddened by not receiving any word. On Christmas day she resolved to herself that she had not placed in the top ten. I will admit even I was surprised. That necklace was/is beautiful.

By New Years Eve, Ivy was OK with not placing in the top ten. She was actually telling jokes about not winning.

Ivy checked her email in the afternoon of December 31, 2015. She had an email from the yarn company. Ivy placed in the top ten. Just like I told her she would. (OK, that wasn’t me, but it was somebody.) That’s a pretty good way to end the year.

Happy New Year! Let’s keep it safe!

Our crazy lives!

Monner